


Kiss it better

by SmileDesu



Category: New Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 17:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6124855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileDesu/pseuds/SmileDesu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a would-be mundane mission proves to be riskier than expected, it's only natural to show concern towards your partner - and if you make the rest of your team jealous in the process, well, what can you do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kiss it better

Smoke rose from the destroyed machines long after they ceased functioning. The occasional spark of electricity still coursing through the mechanical carcasses blew up yet another device, leaving less and less intact. The team of superheroes responsible for the carnage remained ever vigilant, until the dust began clearing and they were satisfied the threat had been neutralized. A call to release the champagne bot rang out over the comm system, marking the end of another successful mission performed by the New Avengers.  
  
"Good work, team," the field leader Songbird praised while examining the debris. "Let's pick up some souvenirs for the R&D division and head home."  
  
Heroes and squirrels both turned to the task at hand, digging through the rubble for something intact enough to bring back.  
  
"This was impressive, if I do say so myself," Power Man praised, watching over an exposed, burning engine. "We did that in record time, didn't we? Go team!"  
  
"I wouldn't exactly say ' _we_ '," Squirrel Girl countered before frowning at a dislocated mechanical arm. "That would've made a nice souvenir. Too bad its bot is gone. A flamethrower bot, too! Talk about old-school!"  
  
Gone, undone, dematerialized - gone. Willed out of existence by Wiccan, retribution for a particularly potent assault against Hulkling. Aforementioned changeling was still recovering, and was moments away from being joined by the mage. Vic followed the red billowing cape with his eyes and winced.  
  
"Remind me never to get on his bad side."  
  
"More than usual?" White Tiger asked calmly and peeled away the metallic shell to expose a yet functional core. Vic frowned back.  
  
"You know what I mean."  
He received no further reply, leaving him free to look back at his other teammates, only to look away not a moment later. There _was_ more to be done, and besides, those two were better left to their own intimate devices for a while; he had no business staring.  
  
–  
  
There weren't signs of injury or physical aches, yet still Teddy took his time rejoining his teammates. He flexed his fingers, taking a moment to ascertain everything was fine, and only then turned to look in the direction of that splotch of red blowing about in the edge of his vision. Billy had a solemn look on his face, but his eyes spoke of concern and warmth. It was enough to make Teddy smile before he let out a snort.  
  
"Did you _really_ have to undo that thing? Toni's gonna be mad."  
  
"Wouldn't be the first time," the witch deadpanned and closed the distance, his features softening with every step. Finally he came to a stop right next to his partner, concern written all over his face.  
"How are you holding up?"  
  
"All healed," Teddy informed simply and looked himself over. "Not a scratch left."  
  
It was true, yet still Billy's frown deepend. "Does it hurt?"  
  
"I told you, I'm fine--" Teddy tried, but fell silent under Billy's intense gaze. He glanced aside at their teammates then, saw they were far enough, and then cut the act, making an expression not unlike a pout while holding his hand over where but moments ago a nasty scar tainted his skin.  
"It hurt a lot. Still tingles."  
  
At the finally honest reply, Billy closed his eyes and let out a sigh that left him mildly deflated. When next he looked at Teddy, a small, fond smile played on his lips. He rested one hand over Teddy's forearm while bringing the other up, two fingers touching his own lips. Making a point of leaving no doubt he just kissed his fingers, Billy then lowered his hand towards the previously singed skin on Teddy's arm.  
  
"Mua."  
  
For a moment, Teddy simply stared down in silence, but then the meaning behind the gesture registered, making him snort.  
"Dork," he blurted out, flustered and bashful.  
  
"Mmmmhmmm," Billy confirmed as he properly kissed Teddy's arm, the pulled himself up, levitating so he was roughly Teddy's height. He then proceeded to kiss Teddy's forehead, his temple, then stalled on a cheek, one hand on the other side of Teddy's face while the other remained over Teddy's previously injured arm. Teddy scrunched his nose at the ministrations, but couldn't well keep the grin off his lips, especially as with every kiss, what discomforts still ailed him faded away. Whether that was so because the attention was helping in and of itself or because Billy was using his powers to literally 'kiss it better' mattered little, the end result was the same - Teddy was soon as good as new albeit dirty, just in time for Billy to lean in for a proper mouth-to-mouth. It was a gentle yet present contact, one accompanied by a brief shudder on Billy's side, and an over-eagerness on Teddy's. It lasted less than they wanted it to, but roughly as much as was needed, for when the kiss broke, both seemed calmer, if the forlorn kind of sober. It was nigh impossible for them to maintain eye contact given how they had their foreheads pressed together, but they tried just the same.  
  
"Don't scare me like that," Billy whispered, a small, all too logical an explanation to his earlier outburst in the midst of battle. Teddy made a small sound and tilted his head so their noses bumped.  
  
"I try not to make promises I can't keep," he apologized and rested both hands on Billy's sides, pulling him closer.  
The answer obviously wasn't what Billy had hoped for, going by his furrowed brows and scrunched nose, but he recovered before long, his hands burying in Teddy's hair.  
  
"It's a good thing, then, that I'm not planning on letting you out of my sight again ever."  
  
"You know... I think I can live with that."  
  
Another nose-bump later Billy finally felt satisfied Teddy was, indeed, well and safe. He pulled back, noticeably less on edge than before.  
"C'mon, let's get to work. The last thing I need is to have Vic complaining we're slacking off."  
  
"Let's. Can I just say, first?"  
  
Billy waited, and when nothing else was said, felt it appropriate to quirk a brow, to which Teddy responded by touching his arm and blushing in that way that was almost undetectable when his skin was green - unless you were Billy and knew what to look.  
  
"I love how serious you are about the whole 'kiss it better' thing."  
  
Billy pressed two fingers to his lips, then pulled them away with a loud 'mua' sound. A trail of blue sparks marked the path his hand made, creating the gesture, before fading into nothing.  
  
"I repeat - dork."  
  
"And you love me for it," Billy countered; Teddy pulled him closer again with an arm around his waist.  
  
"No argue there."  
  
They gazed into each other's eyes for a while before remembering themselves and pulling apart. It was then Billy caught a glimpse of bright brown and looked down to find a small squirrel with a bright pink ribbon wrapped around its neck. The creature looked up at them, its nose twitching slightly.  
  
"We're coming, Tippy," Billy reassured; the squirrel took off with whatever part it found and thought interesting enough to bring back.  
Teddy squeezed Billy's side one last time, eyes narrowed.  
  
"You realize, of course, this isn't over yet, yes?"  
  
Billy wiggled his eyebrows back.  
"I should hope so, so let's get this over with so I can cash in on that promise."  
  
Though finally on their way to rejoin their team, the two were blissfully ignorant to the way they were being watched more often than not. Afraid he'd be caught staring now that they two had eyes not only for each other, Vic occupied himself with the robotic limb he had already deemed worthless. His attention then moved to the numerous cuts and bruises on his arms before he looked up at Ava, her white-clad form moving gracefully through the rubble. Feeling she was being watched, she looked back at Vic, took in his pose, and then followed his gaze to Teddy and Billy, who were, despite their best efforts, still all over each other. She looked back at Vic who was looking almost hopeful and bit her lip - that ship had already sailed, didn't it? She looked away, only to have her attention drawn by a worried sounding squirrel. Tippy-Toe was fussing over Doreen, who was in the process of tending to a cut that reopened during the part salvage. Satisfied with the field operation, Doreen gave her furry partner a thumbs up, then looked at Ava who was frowning behind her mask. It was true the two didn't quite understand each other, but that had little to do with caring for one another, and so Doreen grinned and held both thumbs up, signaling she was alright and letting Ava sigh in relief.  
  
"Eyes front, Power Man," Songbird's voice pulled Vic's attention back from the void, making the young man gasp. "We're not done yet."  
At his still mildly lost look, the team's field leader quickly looked over her other charges before a smirk rose to her lips. "And if you're feeling lonely, you can hang out with me."  
  
Swallowing whatever he had to say back to that - which was mostly incoherent mutters, anyway - Vic got back to work.


End file.
